Written Answers Thursday 27 September 2007

Scottish Executive

Broadcasting

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Broadcasting Commission will review the proposed consolidation of regional news services offered by ITV and the impact such a move will have on Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

Linda Fabiani: I am aware that ITV has recently announced plans to reshape the delivery of their regional news programmes as part of their wider five-year plan. This is a commercial matter for ITV and the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, who are also looking at the future of news and public service broadcasting post digital switchover. The Broadcasting Commission will look at a number of issues, including the provision of news, as part of its wider role considering the economic, cultural and democratic importance of broadcasting to a modern, outward looking Scotland.

Central Heating

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of Scottish Gas in handling the central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: While Scottish Gas is currently forecasting that it will install enough systems to ensure that the contract commitment of 12,000 installations is achieved, the Scottish Government recognises that more can always be done to improve performance, particularly in view of the low number of installations undertaken in island and rural areas. Communities Scotland and Scottish Gas hold regular meetings aimed at improving this and other aspects of programme delivery.

Children and Young People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will create a statutory obligation on public agencies that deal with young people living with parental drug and alcohol misuse to share information.

Adam Ingram: In the last session, the Scottish Parliament voted to withdraw what was then Part 3 of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Bill, which had outlined a statutory requirement to share information when there are concerns about a child, including young people living with parental drug and alcohol misuse.

  A draft Code of Practice for Sharing Information on this topic was widely circulated for comment earlier this year. The purpose was to gain early detailed feedback from stakeholders on its principles and general fitness for improving information sharing relating to the protection of children. Responses to that exercise are currently being analysed.While the draft code is at present on a non-statutory basis, this does not preclude information sharing to protect children being underpinned by legal duties at some point in the future.

Children and Young People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to assess the number of children living with parental drug or alcohol misuse.

Adam Ingram: It is for local authorities to gather and record data on the number of children in their area in need of child protection services, including those living with parental drug and alcohol misuse. The Scottish Government is currently assessing how to strengthen existing activities to ensure that the needs of all children adversely affected by substance misuse are identified and met.

Children and Young People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its ministers is responsible for policy relating to children living with parental drug or alcohol misuse.

Adam Ingram: The Minister for Children and Early Years has the lead responsibility for policy relating to children living with parental drug or alcohol misuse, working closely with ministerial colleagues to address cross-cutting issues.

Children and Young People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on children living with parental drug or alcohol misuse.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the complex issue of children affected by parental substance misuse. The major programme of activity on this agenda is currently under review, with a view to strengthening the focus on prevention and early intervention to ensure children never face this problem, while sharpening the focus on children already at risk to improve identification and response.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment will be required to deliver class sizes of 18 in primary 1 to primary 3 by 2011.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4099 on 20 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional investment will be provided to Scottish universities to achieve qualified teacher numbers that will ensure that class sizes are reduced to 18 for primary 1 to primary 3 by 2011.

Maureen Watt: In academic session 2007-08 additional funding has been made available to provide at least 250 more student places for the Professional Graduate Diploma of Education primary course, alongside an increase of 50-100 places in the Bachelor of Education intake.

  With regards to future years I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4099 on 20 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Crime

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for CCTV schemes in town centres to help deter crime and antisocial behaviour.

Fergus Ewing: £4 million of Executive funding is available this year to local authority-led Community Safety Partnerships to assist them in identifying and addressing local community safety priorities, including CCTV. Other funding streams, such as quality of life funding, can also be used to fund local CCTV systems.

Drugs Misuse

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deal with illegal drug use, in light of its decision not to establish a Scottish drugs commission, promised in the SNP manifesto, at the moment.

Fergus Ewing: Developing a new drugs strategy and building consensus around that is a key priority for the Scottish Government. We have not ruled out setting up a Drugs Commission in the future, but we do not want to delay making progress on this important issue by setting up new structures. We have already discussed the main themes of our developing strategy with a wide range of experts, practitioners and service users and over the coming months we will hold further discussions across the country.

Education

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the options for implementing the curriculum for excellence within the two-year secondary system which exists in many parts of the Western Isles.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish curriculum is not based in statute and it is for local authorities and schools to decide how best to deliver the curriculum in their local area.

Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-980 and S3W-2155 by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July and 6 August 2007 respectively, why the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning stated on 13 June 2007 "Believe it or not, for the first time since the reformation, there has been a drop in the share of the population studying in higher education in Scotland" ( Official Report c. 629), when her source, Prof R D Anderson: Scottish Education since the Reformation, Studies in Scottish Economic and Social History No. 5, Edinburgh 1997, indicates in table 6, page 46 a fall in the population share studying higher education in Scotland between 1800 and 1861 and between 1881 and 1911.

Fiona Hyslop: I admire the member’s dedication and erudition in identifying two exceptions to the broad and unarguable historic trend which I identified previously and am happy to be guided, in terms of detail, by his further research. But the issue of concern to Scottish people in the present century is the capacity to have access to higher education without encountering financial or other barriers. The position of the Scottish Government is that it is committed to removing those barriers.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Adam Ingram: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) is currently monitoring and evaluating the consistency, effectiveness and efficiency of education authorities in implementing the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Environment

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is conducting into the increasing number of ticks.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the increasing number of ticks is having on the (a) tourism and (b) shooting industry.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the tourism and shooting industries about the increasing number of ticks.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to combat the increasing number of ticks.

Michael Russell: I invited a range of organisations with an interest in ticks and tick-borne disease to a meeting on 20 September. At that meeting the group assessed the scale of the problem and potential impact on human health, the rural economy and on biodiversity. The group agreed to take action to promote awareness among the public, in particular among those who spend time in the countryside. Strategies for mitigation and control would be explored in areas with particular tick-related problems. The group also agreed to review the current state of research into ticks and tick-borne diseases and land-management policies that may affect tick numbers and distribution. The group will meet again early in 2008.

European Funding

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what access the voluntary sector will have to future European Social Fund provision.

Jim Mather: Voluntary sector bodies are one of the three main categories of eligible organisations able to register, apply and compete for European Social Funds (ESF) under the 2007-13 Lowlands and Uplands (LUPS) and Highlands and Islands (H&I) programmes. These main categories are - Voluntary or Charitable Organisations; Public Sector Organisations, and Joint Ventures (Public/Private Partnerships)

  The on-line registration process is now open for all organisations wishing to compete for ESF funding towards the cost of eligible projects. So far 48% of the registrations for LUPS, and 36% of the H&I registrations are from voluntary sector bodies. More information on the very simple registration process is available at www.esep.co.uk for the LUPS programme and at www.hipp.org.uk for the H&I programme.

Health

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that healthy living centres throughout Scotland receive the necessary funding to continue to operate when funding received from the Big Lottery Fund comes to an end in 2008.

Shona Robison: Healthy Living Centres are organisations embedded in the communities they serve and meeting local needs. Decisions on maintaining funding are therefore made by local funding partners such as local authorities and health boards, based on relevant local criteria.

  We are raising the profile of all community-led health services with funders through implementing the recommendations of the community-led task group which reported in December 2006.

Health

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the final report of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee.

Nicola Sturgeon: I received the final report of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) from the Chair, Dr Karen Facey, on 4 September 2007. I am currently studying the report and its recommendations carefully, and am sending it to the Convener of the Health and Sport Committee and asking that committee to let me have its views by the end of November. I am also sending the report to the chairs and chief executives of health boards.

  If it is subsequently decided to make any adjustments in health boards’ relative funding these would be phased in over a number of years as has been the practice under both the SHARE and Arbuthnott formulae and no health board would receive less funding than it does at present.

Housing

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to relieve the housing debt of councils, such as Dundee, which are proposing to retain their housing stock within council management.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-707 on 27 September 2007. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has written to Treasury to establish whether there are any circumstances other than transfer, where funding to redeem council housing debt could be made available.

  The answer is available by accessing the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-07/sor0927-02.htm#Col2212.

Ministerial Meetings

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met since taking office.

Fiona Hyslop: I have had formal meetings with the following organisations;

  Scottish Funding Council

  University and College Union

  General Teaching Council for Scotland

  Scottish Enterprise

  University of Edinburgh

  Scottish Business in the Community

  Highland Council

  Rural Schools Network

  HIE

  UHI

  Children in Scotland

  SQA

  Learndirect Scotland

  University of Aberdeen

  Dumfries and Galloway Council

  Careers Scotland

  The Smith Group

  Hunter Foundation

  Saltire Society

  Dundee University

  Scottish Training Federation

  Microsoft

  STUC

  CBI

  Scottish Chamber of Commerce

  Scottish Engineering

  Working Rite

  Learning Link

  Velux

  Marks and Spencer

  Careers Scotland

  Universities Scotland

  Motherwell College

  Inverness College

  Dumfries College

  Chrichton Campus Academic Partners

  SCQF

  European Commission

  Gaelic Education Organisation

  Western Isles Council

  Learning Teaching Scotland

  Minerva Training

  Gallery 37.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of hospital car parking charges on residents living near hospitals where charges have been introduced.

Nicola Sturgeon: No assessment has been made by the Scottish Government on the impact of hospital car parking charges on residents living near hospitals. The introduction of car parking charges, or the revision of existing arrangements, is a matter for NHS boards in light of local circumstances and I would expect NHS boards to take account of local residents as part of their planning and consultation process before introducing charges.

  The management of hospital car parks is a local matter for NHS boards, in line with current guidance issued by the previous administration earlier this year which the Scottish Government is reviewing. I announced the review on 14 September 2007 and I anticipate that the review group will report back to me by the end of November.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of hospital car parking charges on people attending casualty units at short notice to be with friends or family suffering from life-threatening conditions resulting from acute illness or involvement in serious accidents.

Nicola Sturgeon: By introducing hospital car park charges, NHS boards can better manage car parks and greatly improve the availability of parking spaces for patients, visitors and carers attending hospitals.

  The current guidance on hospital car park charging states that boards must provide free parking or concessions to certain categories of car park users, including frequently attending visitors for longer stay patients, patients in high dependency units and patients in intensive care areas.

  The management of hospital car parks is a local matter for NHS boards, in line with current guidance issued by the previous administration earlier this year which the Scottish Government is reviewing. I announced the review on 14 September 2007 and I anticipate that the review group will report back to me by the end of November.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that cancer patients and others who receive regular treatment in NHS hospitals are exempt from hospital car parking charges.

Nicola Sturgeon: The current guidance to NHS boards on hospital car park charging states that boards must provide free parking to certain categories of patients, such as those on longer term treatments including radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

  The management of hospital car parks is a local matter for NHS boards, in line with current guidance issued by the previous administration earlier this year which the Scottish Government is reviewing. I announced the review on 14 September 2007 and I anticipate that the review group will report back to me by the end of November.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to NHS boards on whether it is acceptable to fine out-patients whose hospital car parking tickets have expired as a result of treatment taking longer than anticipated or appointments being delayed.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has issued no guidance to NHS boards on the issuing of fines to out-patients or any other hospital car park user. The management of hospital car parks is a local matter for NHS boards, in line with current guidance issued by the previous administration earlier this year which the Scottish Government is reviewing. I announced the review on 14 September 2007 and I anticipate that the review group will report back to me by the end of November.

Police

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when providing funding to Northern Constabulary, it takes into account policing costs in remote and rural areas and what information it has on what policing duties and equipment are more expensive in remote and rural forces.

Kenny MacAskill: Yes. The methodology used to calculate the distribution of funds to Scotland’s police forces takes into account the increased costs of policing area of lower population density. Northern is one of the forces which benefits from this, in recognition of the increased costs of factors such as transport and providing a physical presence over a wide geographic area.

Police

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland to join the national firearms licensing management scheme’s register of all persons who have applied for or been granted a firearm or shotgun certificate or whose certificate has been renewed and when it estimates that Scotland will be included in the scheme.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government discusses a range of issues, including firearms licensing, with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) on a regular basis. While the National Firearms Licensing Managers System (NFLMS) was being developed in England and Wales, ACPOS concluded that a national firearms register for Scotland could be achieved by augmenting the Scottish Criminal Record Office criminal history system and relevant information can now be accessed and exchanged by all GB forces through the Police National Computer (PNC). ACPOS is currently evaluating the potential business benefits to Scottish police forces from joining the National Firearms Licensing Managers System.

Prison Service

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the current prison population are reoffenders.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Some 77% of those currently in prison have previously been held in prison for an offence committed at some stage. This figure compares with that in the "Return to Custody" statistical series which shows that around 50% of prisoners released from custody return within two years of release.

Prison Service

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish Prison Service (SPS) expenditure for financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07 was used to fund the involvement of SPS staff in the administration and organisation of the International Correction and Prison Association.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Less than 0.0005%.

Prison Service

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers membership and the active involvement of the Scottish Prison Service and its staff in the International Correction and Prison Association to be a productive use of public funds.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes.

Prison Service

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service currently seconds staff to the International Correction and Prison Association and, if so, which organisation funds the related salary costs.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service Board recently agreed to second a member of staff, on a part-time basis, to act as Executive Director of the International Corrections and Prisons Association. The salary-related costs are met by the Scottish Prison Service.

Rail Network

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve rail services between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has been leading work to provide firm proposals for the most cost-effective ways to improve reliability, bring down journey times and provide capacity for the expected continuing growth in rail passenger numbers between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The results of this will be reported to Parliament this afternoon.

Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order 2004

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether grants are available for the installation of renewable energy to energy suppliers who participate in the Renewables Obligation Certificate scheme.

Jim Mather: Grants are available to householders and a wide range of community organisations through the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI).

  Grants for private sector developers and consortiums are being provided via the Scottish Government’s support schemes for wave and tidal energy, biomass and hydrogen.

  Projects supported in these ways may also receive Renewables Obligation Certificates for the electricity they generate, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

School Meals

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average primary 1 to primary 3 class size is in schools in areas selected by it for free school meal pilot funding, broken down by local authority area.

Maureen Watt: This information is contained in table 6.6 of the Statistical Bulletin Pupils in Scotland, 2006 , which can be accessed by using the following hyperlink:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/02/27083941/78 .

School Meals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that all children from families in receipt of working families tax credit receive free school meals.

Adam Ingram: We would like to extend entitlement for free school meals to families in receipt of maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit, although this will depend on forthcoming discussions with COSLA about outcome agreements.

Scottish Government Funding

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its block grant has been in each year since devolution and what proportion of total known public expenditure in Scotland this represents.

John Swinney: HM Treasury publish an annual statistics publication called Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) which sets out a range of statistical information, including the total identifiable public expenditure for each region/country within the United Kingdom (table 9.3). The latest version of this document was published in April 2007 and provides data up to and including 2006-07: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/E/B/pesa07_complete.pdf .

  The following table shows the total identifiable expenditure in Scotland (taken from PESA 2007), the total Scottish block and the percentage of the total that the Scottish Block represents, for each year between 1999-2000 and 2005-06.

  

£ Million
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Total Scottish Identifiable Public Expenditure
27,274
28,777
31,770
33,500
36,817
38,486
41,761
44,050


Total Scottish Budget
17,433
18,554
19,893
21,479
23,644
25,520
27,390
29,748


Total Scottish Budget as % of Total Identifiable Expenditure
63.9%
64.5%
62.6%
64.1%
64.2%
66.3%
65.6%
67.5%

Teachers

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the planned intake is to Scottish teacher training courses in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010 and (e) 2011.

Maureen Watt: The planned intake to the Professional Graduate Diploma of Education (PGDE) and the Bachelor of Education (BEd) in 2007 is:

  

PGDE Primary
1,505


BEd Primary
770


PGDE Secondary
1,210


BEd Secondary
177


Total
3,662



  With regards to future years I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4099 on 20 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Teachers

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teaching posts were created in 2006-07.

Maureen Watt: Information on how many additional teaching posts were created in 2006-07 will be obtained from the results of the 2007 teacher census, published in March 2008.

Voluntary Sector

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to help promote greater financial stability for voluntary sector community organisations.

Jim Mather: We support the principles of the Scottish Compact, last reviewed in 2004, which was explicit that we should apply best practice in funding and in the administration of grants. We support the practice of three-year funding for the voluntary sector across the public sector and encourage the use of longer term funding agreements, where possible, to provide a stable and efficient operating environment for the sector.

Voluntary Sector

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what ongoing funding is available for the Youth Work Facilities Improvement Fund.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government awarded £5 million to the youth work sector through the Youth Work Facilities Improvement Fund in 2007-08, as part of the Year of Action resulting from the National Youth Work Strategy. Funding has been awarded to bids for resources which lead to positive outcomes for children and young people. This fund has now closed for applications.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a correlation between grouse shooting and poisoning of birds of prey.

Michael Russell: It is a matter for the police and the prosecution authorities to draw inferences from evidence of criminal activity. The Scottish Government considers that grouse shooting makes an important contribution to the rural economy of Scotland and also helps to maintain biodiversity on Scottish moorland. Poisoning of wild birds is not acceptable anywhere or in any circumstances. The Scottish Government believes that partnership between moorland managers and conservation bodies offers the prospect of establishing shared objectives and that is why we welcome the Langholm Moor project. Such initiatives provide the best approach to discouraging irresponsible actions; eliminating wildlife crime affecting moorland species, and encouraging responsible and sustainable management.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that carcases of poisoned wildlife are safely and securely disposed of once scientific evidence has been gathered from them.

Michael Russell: Where poisoning of wildlife is suspected and carcases are sent by the police to the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency’s (SASA) laboratories for examination, I can confirm that SASA securely store such carcases until investigation or court proceedings are complete. The carcases are then incinerated by an approved and regulated waste disposal company.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list sentences passed on conviction for cases of (a) poisoning of wild birds, (b) illegal poisoning of wild or companion animals or placing of poisoned baits, (c) illegal possession of the commonly abused pesticides including those listed in the Possession of Pesticides (Scotland) Order 2005, (d) trapping of wild birds, (e) illegal killing of wild birds other than by poisoning and (f) egg collecting in each of the last 10 years; whether it is aware of the sentences passed for similar offences in England and Wales and, if so, whether these sentences are comparable.

Kenny MacAskill: The available figures are given in the following tables. Poisoning or trapping is not separately identifiable in the data. The data held covers court proceedings in Scottish courts, and so does not contain figures for England and Wales.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Illegal Possession of Pesticides1, 2, by Main Penalty, 1996-97 to 2005-06

  

Financial Year
Illegal Possession of Pesticides


Community Sentence
Monetary
Other
Total


1996-97
-
-
-
-


1997-98
-
-
-
-


1998-99
-
-
-
-


1999-2000
-
-
-
-


2000-01
-
-
-
-


2001-02
-
-
-
-


2002-03
-
-
-
-


2003-04
-
-
1
1


2004-05
-
1
-
1


2005-06
-
1
-
1



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. The Control of Pesticides Regulations R4(4)(a/b).

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Killing, Injuring or Taking Wild Birds1, 2, by Main Penalty, 1996-97 to 2005-06

  

Financial Year
Killing, Injuring or Taking Wild Birds


Community Sentence
Monetary
Other
Total


1996-97
-
1
-
1


1997-98
-
-
-
-


1998-99
-
1
-
1


1999-2000
-
2
-
2


2000-01
-
-
-
-


2001-02
-
3
-
3


2002-03
-
1
-
1


2003-04
-
4
-
4


2004-05
-
4
2
6


2005-06
1
3
-
4



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Sections 1(1) A and 5(1) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Use of poison or trapping is not separately identifiable in the data.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Egg Collecting Offences1, 2, by Main Penalty, 1996-97 to 2005-06

  

Financial Year
Egg Collecting Offences


Community Sentence
Monetary
Other
Total


1996-97
-
4
-
4


1997-98
1
4
-
5


1998-99
-
4
-
4


1999-2000
-
1
1
2


2000-01
-
2
-
2


2001-02
-
1
-
1


2002-03
-
-
-
-


2003-04
-
3
-
3


2004-05
-
-
-
-


2005-06
-
2
-
2



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Sections 1(1)(c), 1(2)(b), 3(1)(a)(iii) and 6 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.